Manufacture of artificial fuel.



UNITED STATES PATENT oFFIcE.

MANUFACTURE OF ARTIFICIAL FUEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

r mmed Jan. 16, 1906.

Applicationfiled February 21, 1905. Serial No. 246,805-

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AUGUST STILLEsEN, a subject of the King of Sweden and Norway, residing in the borough of Brooklyn, city of New York, county of Kings, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in the Manufacture of Artificial Fuel, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact specification suflicient to enable others skilled in the art to practice and use the same.

My present invention has relation to the manufacture of artificial fuel, and especially does it relate to improvements in the production of solid petroleumto be used in the place of natural fuels.

The principal object of my invention is to render petroleum solid, so that it can be handled and transported and used after the manner of using coals and other solid fuels, and this Without danger of explosion or deterioration or spontaneous combustion and with economy in the matter of room required for storage and with increased capacity for the production of heat.

To accomplish the above-named object and to secure other and further advantages in the matters of manufacture, handling, or transportation and use, my improvements involve not only a process or method of treating the petroleum, but also the production of a new and useful compound, the result of my improved process, which compound possesses marked characteristics and peculiarities.

I employ the followin ingredients in about the percentages stated or each one hundred pounds or other quantity, viz: seventy-five parts, by weight, rectified petroleum; sixteen parts, by weight, raw turpentine; two parts, by weight, sodium palmitate, palmitate of soda, or sodium stearate, stearate of soda, or a mixture of both; five parts, by weight, caustic soda, and two parts, by weight, water.

I first weigh out the quantity of petroleum and pour it into a suitable steam kettle or vessel arranged to be heated by steam, after which I add the turpentine and the palmitate of soda or stearate of soda and afterward bring the whole up to a temperature of about 100 Celsius, at which temperature the turpentine, as Well as the palmitate of soda or stearate of sod a, is dissolved in the petroleum. As soon as all is dissolved I add,'a little at a time, the caustic soda in the form of a concentrated (sixty-per-cent.) heated solution in water, maintaining a 4 steady and powerful agitation, during which operation it should be observed that the temperature should not be permitted to go below 100 Celsius.

. The chemical process begins as soon as the solution of caustic soda is poured in, and when all of the solution has been added it will be observed that the preparation begins to saponify out, and then the contents of the vessel must be quickly dumped into a form in which it immediately stifl'cns. The improved fuel is then ready for use after the manner of using and for the purposes of using ordinary coals, no change being required in the fuel burning structures.

It should be understood that the percentages stated are subject to the usual-variations.

My solid petroleum can be made in blocks of any shape and size that may be desired, varying in weight from an ounce up to a thou-. sand pounds or more, if need be. It can be stored with absolute safety in any room in which coal is stored, because there is no risk of spontaneous combustion or explosion, and it is immaterial whether the store-rooms are cold or warm, so long as they are kept at least comparatively dry,

My improved product may be handled by any inexperienced person without the slightest dan 'er or difficulty. It evolves very little smoke and leaves very little ashes, both characteristics of considerable value. It may be used in connection with coal if desired to increase the steaming capacity of the fuel, and it may be otherwise employed as circumstances will dictate. It is as easily ignited as a candle, and it can be just as easily extinguished, and after it has been partially consumed and extinguished it may be reignited.

The process of producing the improved fuel is simple and easy to be carried out, and when the product is ready for use it will be found inexpensive considering its heat-producing qualities as compared with the natural fuels and with other compounds above referred to.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim as new herein, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The herein-described process of producing solid petroleum for fuel which consists in mingling, approximately, seventy-five parts by weight of petroleum, sixteen parts by weight of turpentine, two parts by weight of sodium palmitate or sodium stearate, then adding five parts by-weight of caustic soda IIO and tWo parts by Weight of Water and heating and agitating, substantially in the manner explained.

2. As a new article of manufacture, the

5 herein-described artificial fuel composed of,

approximately, seventy-five parts by Weight of petroleum, sixteen parts by Weight of turpentine, two parts by weight of sodium palmitate or sodium-stearate,to which has been 10 added five parts by Weight of caustic soda and tWo parts by Weight of Water, the whole agitated and. heated, substantially in the manner set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of 15 two subscribing Witnesses.

AUGUST STILLESEN.

Witnesses:

O. SEDGWICK, J. M. HOWARD. 

